


Reading Tea Leaves

by a_quick_drink



Category: Cut & Run - Madeleine Urban & Abigail Roux
Genre: M/M, Tea shop AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-16
Updated: 2015-05-16
Packaged: 2018-03-30 19:06:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,738
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3948250
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/a_quick_drink/pseuds/a_quick_drink
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There's never a dull moment at Nick & Owen's tea shop...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Spooning a few twisted strands of tea leaves into the porcelain cup, Nick poured hot water over the leaves and lidded the cup. He started the stopwatch on his phone and waited the requisite forty-five seconds for the leaves to release their complex flavors of orchids and sugarcane.

Or at least that’s what his friend claimed it should taste like. He was still convinced Owen was just shitting him.

Nick shut the timer off. Lifting the small cup, he held the lid down with a thumb and carefully decanted the yellowish liquid into a small tasting bowl. He flipped the cup over with a flick of his wrist and removed the lid. A pile of dark green leaves now sat in the lid, only partially unfurled. The flavors would evolve over the course of a few more steeps, although he doubted his palate would notice.

Bringing the bowl to his lips, the scent of flowers hit his nose as he took a cautious sip. Nick wrinkled his nose. Yep, still tasted like watery potpourri.

The faint floral notes were there, but whether it was orchid or honeysuckle, he couldn’t say. A flower was a flower as far as he was concerned, and they had no business near his teas. Nick had already tried this particular baozhong at least half a dozen times in half a dozen different ways and yet he still could not discern the full range of flavors in such a delicate oolong. Maybe these lighter types of teas should be left to Owen while he stuck to his preferred dark, malty brews. 

The soft chime of the door opening caught his attention just as he was about to take another sip. He glanced up and immediately plastered a friendly smile on as he watched a man walk into the shop.

Like most people, the man’s eyes widened slightly as he took in the dozens of tea containers lining the wall behind Nick. People like this guy came in expecting only a handful of basic teas to choose from, unaware of how many options were actually available. Being presented with so many at once was overwhelming. And intimidating.

Unlike most people, this guy was a sight to behold. Some kind of hotshot businessman if the tailored suit and neatly styled hair was any indication. His smile was warm, though, crinkling the corners of his impossibly blue eyes. Totally the kind of guy Nick would fall for if he were still single.

“What can I get for you?” Nick asked.

“Wow, um, I don’t know,” the man admitted, laughing. “I didn’t realize I’d have this many choices.”

“Well, what kind of tea do you like?”

“Green, I guess, but I’d be willing to try anything you recommend.” Hotshot stared straight at Nick and discreetly licked his lips.

A crescent of a smile curved Nick’s lips as he looked away and walked around the counter. So Hotshot was apparently single and into guys, huh? Perfect. He couldn’t take advantage of this offer, but he knew someone who could.

“I prefer black teas myself, but why don’t you have a seat and I’ll get my friend to walk you through our selection. He’ll be more help than I am.”

Hotshot’s smile faltered slightly with what looked like a twinge of disappointment. Before the man could reply, Nick hurried away to the back room.

He pushed open the door and found his friend busily refilling tins. “Get your ass out here now,” Nick hissed.

Owen looked up from the container of Earl Grey he was transferring tea into. “What? Why?” he asked, bewildered. “You can handle one customer.”

“Not this one.”

Owen blinked in confusion and then narrowed his eyes knowingly at Nick. “You’ve slept with him, haven’t you?”

Jesus, a few random hookups to blow off some steam and suddenly you had a reputation. “No, I haven’t,” Nick sniffed, offended. “But you might be able to.”

Owen huffed a frustrated sigh. “I don’t know, Irish, isn’t a bit too soon?”

“It’s been eight months, man. I know you loved her, but Riley’s already moved on while you’re just…here, being all pathetic.” Nick gestured helplessly at him. “You don’t have to do anything, just talk to him about the tea. See what happens.”

“Why are you so intent on getting me to sleep with this guy?”

“Because one of us needs to and it’s not gonna be me.”

“What about Ty?”

“Not his type.”

After a moment of deliberation, Owen finally stopped what he was doing and let Nick usher him out the door. “What is his type anyway?”

“I don’t know. Breathing?”

Hotshot watched the two of them return to the front, perking slightly when his eyes landed on Owen. Okay, this might work. Nick quickly introduced Owen as the resident expert on all things green tea before excusing himself to the back room.

After nearly twenty minutes finishing up for Owen, Nick stacked three of the refilled metal containers and hauled them to the front. Hotshot was still there, listening intently while Owen explained the differences between the various samples sitting in front of him. The two shared a quiet laugh over something. Nick moved behind the counter to replace the missing containers, noticing Hotshot no longer spared him so much as a glance. Clearly the man had already forgotten about him.

Nick pushed the last container into place and turned when he heard the door chime again.

“Hey, Garrett,” he greeted with a little wave. “The usual?”

Zane Garrett, the owner of the bookstore next door, had moved in a few months after Nick and Owen had set up shop. The place was a veritable treasure trove of books on unusual topics, and Nick found himself spending considerable amounts of time there, trading tea for books. Together, they had created a sidewalk cafe between the two stores, benefiting from all the people who preferred sitting outside to enjoy the mild west coast climate. Friendship was inevitable. 

Zane shook his head. “I need something with more caffeine. Do you still have that blend with the cracked coffee beans in it?“

"You are a godless heathen, you know that?” Nick threw over his shoulder as he found the container and pulled it from the top shelf. “Don’t know how you can drink this shit.”

“Just make me my damn tea, you snob,” Zane said with a snort. Nick flipped the older man off, and they both snickered, earning a disapproving glare from Owen and a snort from Hotshot.

“Is the place always this much fun?” Hotshot asked.

“We’re still working on Owen’s sense of humor, but yeah,” Nick answered with a sly grin.

Owen fumbled the cup in his hand, cheeks flushing red. He shot Nick another glare, just missing the soft smile he’d earned from Hotshot.

“Guess I’ll have to stop by more often,” the man said, blue eyes never straying far from Owen.

Nick and Zane shared a look before Nick went back to preparing Zane’s godawful nasty tea. How this stuff could be considered ‘tea’ was beyond him. It was an insult. One of their best sellers that seemed to act as a gateway into proper tea, but still. Insult.

“You’re still planning on coming to the gallery tonight, right?” Nick asked as he put a lid on the hot drink and handed the paper cup to Zane.

Kelly had been working extra hard preparing for his first opening, eager to show it to Zane, a fellow artist who would surely appreciate it. On more than one occasion Kelly had confided in Nick that he hoped the opening and their occasional sketching sessions would spark something within their friend and encourage Zane to return to the passion that had died along with his wife. The man had a gift for sure, and Kelly was determined to preserve it.

“Wouldn’t miss it.” Zane handed Nick a few bills in exchange for the drink, but Nick waved him off; same game they played every day.

Zane left, and Hotshot followed a few minutes later, carrying a small paper shopping bag with the store’s logo stamped on the side. Nick watched Hotshot until the man was out of sight and then turned, leaning on the counter. “So. How did it go with tall, dark, and fuckable?”

“His name is JD,” Owen said, a smile tugging at his lips as he picked up the various containers of tea sitting on the counter and re-shelved them. “And I guess it went okay. He said he’d be back Saturday so I could teach him the gongfu method.”

Nick gave a low whistle. The Chinese tea ceremony, huh? Impressive. And time-consuming if Owen intended to get the full potential out of whatever tea he chose for the occasion. A typical gongfu session with him lasted for only two, maybe three, fairly brief infusions of the leaves when anywhere from four to eight were possible. The times he’d joined Owen for a session where they spent the leaves over conversation easily lasted for a couple of hours; longer if Kelly joined and brought some of his own herbal refreshment to share.

“So it’s a date?”

“It’s not a date.”

Nick pushed away from the counter with a snort, patting Owen’s stomach as he walked past. “Whatever you say, man.”

It was definitely a date; he’d make sure of that.


	2. Chapter 2

Ty rounded the corner and slowed his pace as the tea shop came into view. His eyes darted back and forth between the facade of the shop and the sidewalk. No sign of his furry ambusher.

Yet.

For the most part, the chipmunk seemed rather sociable. Much of its time was spent zipping around the sidewalk, hoovering up crumbs left by the shop’s customers. People cooed over the animal, children taking particular delight in sharing their treats with it.

Twitchy little rodents made him nervous. And who knew where it’d been? Gross. He preferred cats like his Maine Coon, Barnum, who was plenty big enough to have chipmunks for lunch. The first time he’d encountered the chipmunk while seated at one of the sidewalk tables, Ty had ignored both its charms and persistence. 

And the chipmunk somehow knew.

He’d once watched in horror as it had zipped across the tabletop and plopped down on his unattended cookie. Threatening to catch and feed it to Barnum had apparently been a mistake because the chipmunk’s sole purpose then became terrorizing him. Every time after that, the chipmunk would dart from its nest when it spotted him, startling him or stealing his napkins. Harmless but annoying.

With no sign of the spiteful little beast, Ty strolled past the bookstore next to his friends’ tea shop. He wasn’t much of a reader since he couldn’t sit still for five minutes let alone hours at a time, so he’d never checked out the other store. Both Nick and Kelly seemed pretty friendly with the owner, though he’d yet to encounter the guy. Probably the kind of person whose idea of a good time was holing up at home and reading weekends away.

He almost made it to the door of the tea shop when a brown blur streaked in front of him. Ty froze.

Fuck.

The spazzy chipmunk ran circles around him until Ty stepped backward. It scurried up the leg of his jeans, and Ty cried out in surprise, hopping on one foot while he shook the other to get rid of the animal. The chipmunk landed on the sidewalk a few feet away. When it didn’t move for a long moment, guilt gnawed at Ty. The little beast had it out for him, but he never meant to hurt it.

Taking a cautious step forward, Ty realized his mistake too late.

Rolling onto it’s tiny feet, the chipmunk lunged. It shot up his leg and clung to the hem of his t-shirt. Ty stumbled backward, trying to brush the animal off, instead catching his foot on the leg of a chair. He reached for the edge of the nearby table as he fell, but only wound up taking it with him, the four of them hitting the ground with a loud crash.

When the spinning sensation stopped, Ty lifted his head and saw a pair of beady black eyes staring back at him. The chipmunk’s nose twitched in mockery before its tail shot up and it ran away.

Ty groaned and started to push himself up, pausing when someone held a hand out in front of him. He reached for the offered hand and looked up, meeting the warmest brown eyes he’d ever seen.

“Are you okay?” the man asked, brows furrowed with concern.

Ty nodded dumbly as the stranger helped him to his feet. Wow, this guy was strong. And tall. He was just over six feet himself, but this guy still had a few inches on him.

The man’s face softened. Butterflies danced in Ty’s stomach as the man’s lips curved into a smile. After a second too long–not long enough in Ty’s opinion–the man released his hand and bent to pick up the table; Ty picked up the chair.

“Hey, uh, thanks.”

“No problem,” the man answered, flashing Ty another smile. “I was just stepping out of my store when I heard the noise.” Warmth curled around Ty’s gut as the man huffed a laugh.

“Which one’s yours?”

The man jerked a thumb over his shoulder. “The book store.” His answer was hesitant, as if he were somewhat self-conscious about sharing that detail.

Ty blinked in surprise. This guy owned the book store? Definitely not the boring nerd type he had imagined. Ty’s gaze skated over the bigger man, observing the tanned skin and sharp features. Dark hair tinged with silver curled behind the man’s ears. Why the hell had his friends failed to mention how gorgeous this guy was? Maybe he wasn’t into other guys.

“I was just going to get some tea. You…wouldn’t want to join me, would you?”

Or not.

“I’d like that.”

Brown eyes lit up as the man straightened and extended a hand. “Zane Garrett.”

Ty felt his heart drumming against his ribs as their hands met a second time. “Ty Grady.”

“So you’re Ty?”

Confused, Ty asked, “You’ve heard of me?”

Zane moved toward the door and opened it. “I’ve heard a few stories from your friends.” He chuckled and followed Ty into the tea shop.

“They didn’t tell you the oregano story, did they?”

“No, why?”

“So what do you usually get?” Ty asked quickly, diverting the topic from himself. He stopped a few feet away from the counter and studied the large chalkboard menu hanging on the wall above the shelves of tea.

The menu itself never changed but the doodle in the corner usually did. Today’s drawing was a cartoonish dinosaur holding a cup of tea and the words “Beware of the Tea Rex!” scrawled above it. Ty rolled his eyes. Kelly’s sense of humor was just as bad as Nick’s; no wonder they were perfect for each other.

Zane’s shoulder brushed against his, and a thrill of excitement shot through Ty–followed by a touch of melancholy. His friends had spent so many years dating around, somehow oblivious to what everyone else saw between them. But one drunken confession had changed everything. While Ty was happy for them, his own luck with love seemed non-existent. There had been a couple people he could have spent the rest of his life with, but the timing was always off. He hadn’t felt that kind of connection since. Maybe this time would be different.

Zane shrugged. “Depends what I have a taste for.”

“And what do you have a taste for today?” Ty asked, hoping Zane would take the bait.

Turning his head, Zane met Ty’s gaze. “Anything you want.” His voice lowered an octave as he spoke, and Ty resisted the overwhelming urge to grab him by the shirt and kiss him. Zane licked his lips, seemingly having a similar idea.

Nick ruined the moment, though, when he hissed at Ty. “Goddammit, Grady, get that thing out of here!”

Feeling something brush against the back of his neck, Ty shivered but ignored it. “What thing?” He hadn’t brought anything into the store but himself. He looked between Zane and Nick, confused. Zane covered his mouth with a hand, smothering a laugh while Nick crossed his arms and stared at Ty like he was the dumbest thing on the planet.

A loud chirp sounded right next to his ear, and Ty flinched in surprise. He turned his head in the direction of the noise, eyes widening. On his shoulder, the evil chipmunk chirped again, this time softer, and bumped its head against his cheek.

Ty narrowed his eyes at it. This animal had antagonized him since day one and now it was being…friendly? There had to be a catch.

Zane reached over, carefully removing the chipmunk from Ty’s shoulder and trapping it in his big hands. The little animal poked its head out and glanced between them. It chirped again and, contented, rested its chin on Zane’s thumb. “I’ll be right back,” Zane said with a smile.

Ty watched him step outside, crouching down and releasing the chipmunk. He supposed the little beast wasn’t that bad. After all, it had led to him meeting the big man with a warm heart.

He turned to Nick and asked, “Are chipmunks usually like that?”

“No, but Snow White over there feeds it.” Nick jerked a thumb at a back table where Kelly sat, earbuds in, listening to music while he drew in a sketchbook. “It’s the only one he’s seen around here so he’s convinced it’s an orphan too.” Despite the annoyance in his voice, the indulgent smile that curved his lips as he spoke about his lover indicated otherwise.

“So what are you two having?” Nick gave a knowing wink.

Ty bit his lip against a grin. “Something that will last for a while.”

“You remember how to use this like I showed you, right?” Nick asked as he held up a tiny clear glass tea pot.

Ty nodded. He’d seen Owen use similarly sized clay pots when he did his whole kung-fu thing, but otherwise they preferred these glass ones for informal sessions. It was partially an aesthetic thing, but it also took the guesswork out of steeping since everything was visible.

Nick pulled a paper-wrapped disc from the shelf and opened it, revealing a cake of compressed black tea. “I think you’ll both like this. And since it won’t get bitter no matter how long it’s steeped, even you can make it correctly.”

“But will it get me laid, that’s the real question.”

“I make tea, Grady, not miracles. Now go sit your ass down and I’ll bring everything over.”

Ty snorted, and picked the empty table by the front window. While waiting for Zane to return from washing his hands, he glanced outside. The sun was setting, a warm gradient of orange and purple blending into blues. Foot traffic outside the shop dwindled as the rows of eclectic shops lining the street began closing up for the night. The tea shop would be open for another couple hours, a popular alternative for those who avoided caffeine after a certain hour.

Movement near the bottom of the window caught his eye, and Ty looked down to see the chipmunk sitting on the ledge, staring at him. Ty glared and made a shooing motion at it with his hand but the animal wouldn’t move.

“Guess we have a chaperon, huh?” Chuckling, Zane pulled out a chair and sat down.

“We’ll have to behave ourselves, y'know.”

“Only for now.”


	3. Chapter 3

“Are you sure you’ll be okay?” Nick asked again. It was at least the third time he’d asked the exact same thing in the past hour and he knew it was driving Owen crazy. But the weekends were their busiest days. With the unseasonable cold snap that’d hit, he imagined sales would be up. Good for business. Not so much for those who had to work it.

Owen looked up from the table he was wiping off. “It’s fine,” he reassured. “Liam knows what he’s doing. I trust him.” He went back to cleaning the tables while Nick mulled over his words.

It had taken the two of them months to get their tea shop off the ground, and many more dedicating the majority of their waking hours just trying to break even. They’d finally started turning a profit, and with both of them now having personal lives to tend to, they’d decided it was time to hire another person to help so they could take some much needed time off. Of the handful of applicants, Liam Bell was the only one who met all their requirements: friendly, knowledgeable about tea, and got along well with them. Training had been effortless.

Liam had only been working part-time during quiet weekdays, though. Working a full day was one thing–a full, busy weekend was another. Nick felt guilty leaving Owen with the new guy, but he knew he was being ridiculous. This was why they’d hired Liam. 

Nick scooped some tea into a small waxed paper bag, sealing it before he replaced the tea container on the shelf. “If you need anything just give me a call.”

“I won’t need anything.” Owen came around the counter and tossed the towel down. “Now get out of here and go take care of your boyfriend.” Chuckling, he shooed Nick away with a wave of his hand.

 

“See you Monday!” Nick called over his shoulder as he hurried out of the shop.

When Nick let himself into Kelly’s apartment a while later he was greeted with the sound of Kelly coughing up a lung. /Poor guy/, Nick thought as he shrugged out of his coat and hung it from the hook by the door. The fall-like weather had resulted in an early cold and flu season, and the kids at the art group Kelly helped with were sharing viruses like candy. He’d somehow avoided catching anything up until the other day when he complained of a tickle in his throat. By the next day he was laid up with the flu.

Nick set the bags in his hand on the kitchen counter and went to the living room. Kelly was curled up on the couch under a heavy blanket, watching the TV. Dishes littered the coffee table in front of him, along with a box of tissues and enough syrups and pills that he could start his own pharmacy with.

“How are you feeling, babe?” Nick sat down on the edge of the couch and pressed a kiss to Kelly’s hair.

“Like I got hit by a truck,” Kelly groaned. He shifted slightly, managing a weak smile as he looked up at Nick.

Great, just what he had to look forward to. And after a weekend caring for his sick boyfriend, there was no doubt in Nick’s mind that he’d catch it. But that was okay. Kelly would take care of him.

“You hungry?” Nick asked, glancing over at the dishes on the table. Both mug and bowl were still full.

“Kind of.” Kelly followed his gaze. “I’d meant to eat that and then I fell asleep.”

Nick gave Kelly’s hair a ruffle before he stood and gathered up the dishes. “Any requests?” He set the dishes in the sink and then rummaged through cabinets and refrigerator, taking stock of what there was to work with. He frowned at the abysmal selection, thankful he’d thought to stop and pick up a few groceries on the way over. 

“Surprise me. Anything you make will be good.”

Huffing a laugh, Nick pulled a small pan out, filled it with water, and set it on the stove. While he waited for the water to boil, Nick turned his attention to the bags on the counter. Once he put everything away, he pulled down a small tea pot from the shelf and spooned some of the tea he’d brought into the little mesh basket.

While he didn’t care much for herbals himself, they did have their uses. Loaded with eucalyptus leaves and citrus pieces, this blend was perfect for someone who was under the weather. And since Kelly preferred the bright, fruity herbal blends anyway, Nick knew he’d love this one.

Once the water started bubbling, Nick removed it from the stove and carefully poured the water into the teapot. He set both aside and spent the next few minutes washing, peeling, and cutting vegetables while the tea steeped. He tossed the chopped vegetables into a large stock pot, drizzled in oil, and gave everything a stir before turning on the burner. Chicken soup was hardly the most original thing to make but it was easy and he had a few tricks up his sleeve that would turn it into something special.

Glancing at the microwave clock, Nick poured the tea into a clean mug. The bright pink liquid smelled lemony and sweet. He grabbed a bag of M&Ms and went back to the living room.

Kelly pushed himself up, eyes widening as he noticed the candy bag. “You are the best boyfriend ever.” He smiled and held his hands out, scrunching his face into a pout when only the mug was placed in his hands. “I take that back,” he grumbled, lifting the mug to his lips. Changeable eyes lit up. “This tastes like Fruity Pebbles!”

“Like it?”

Kelly nodded and took another sip.

“So am I still the best boyfriend ever?” Nick asked, waving the bag of candy just out of reach.

Pale blue-green eyes narrowed, considering him. “Can I pick out the green ones and leave the rest?”

“No.”

Kelly hummed as he took another, longer sip. “The best boyfriend ever would take pity on me because I’m sick.” He sniffled loudly for effect.

Nick dropped the candy in Kelly’s lap and leaned over. “The best boyfriend ever has plans for when you feel better.” He nipped Kelly’s ear. “If you want to know what they are, you won’t pick through that bag.” Hearing a soft whimper as he walked away, Nick smiled to himself.

“So how were things at the shop?” Kelly finally asked, taking another sip of tea before setting the mug down. He tore into the bag of M&Ms and made sure he had Nick’s full attention as he popped a green one into his mouth. Nick shook his head, earning a snicker from Kelly who held up another green candy between his fingers for Nick to see. Ignoring Kelly’s flagrant disregard for anything even remotely resembling a rule, Nick turned his attention to the stove.

“Crazy. Don’t think it’s ever been that busy.” Nick poured the stock into the pan, then added the chicken, chopped garlic, and dried herbs before he lidded the pan and turned the heat down. He would let it simmer, low and slow, for at least an hour to let all the flavors combine. After that, a splash of fresh lemon juice and chopped herbs to finish. The soup would be good without, but the citrus zing and burst of fresh parsley elevated the dish beyond simple comfort food.

He poured a mug of tea for himself, got his iPad from his bag, and went to the couch.

Sitting at the opposite end, Nick propped his feet on the coffee table and set a pillow on his lap. Kelly laid down and pulled the blanket tight around himself. “Was Liam helping today?” Kelly asked, wriggling around in his fuzzy cocoon until he finally got comfortable.

Nick draped an arm over Kelly. “Nope. He was going to cover for me tonight and the rest of the weekend.”

“Was Owen okay with that?”

“Sure. JD’s out of town on a business trip anyway, so he didn’t need it off.” Nick smoothed Kelly’s hair back. “He can have next weekend off. I might have to run over for awhile, though, if they need help.”

Nick felt Kelly give his leg a reassuring pat. “They’ll be fine.” His voice had softened and faded, as if speaking exhausted him. “Need you more,” he murmured, a smile in his voice. His body shook with what Nick hoped was a laugh rather than chills. 

“Yeah, you do.”


End file.
